red-tailed hawk

noun \ ˈred-ˌtāld- \

Definition of red-tailed hawk

: a widely distributed chiefly rodent-eating New World hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) that is usually mottled dusky above and white streaked dusky and tinged with buff below and has a rather short typically reddish tail — called also redtail

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Recent Examples of red-tailed hawk from the Web

The Medina Raptor Center offered close-up looks at a kestrel and a red-tail hawk held by center volunteers, and an African tortoise wandered around the retreat, followed closely by a member of the Northern Ohio Association of Herpetologists.

— mary jane brewer, cleveland.com, "Medina County Parks' Earth Day Festival provides family fun," 23 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'red-tailed hawk.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.